The Senate Must Do Its Job and Give Judge Garland's Nomination Fair Consideration

Release Date:

March 16, 2016

In response to President Obama's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland today, Demos President Heather McGhee has issued the following response.

Failure by Senate leadership, including Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, to do their jobs is not just partisan obstructionism—it’s also a dereliction of constitutional duty.

"President Obama has now fulfilled his constitutional obligation by nominating Judge Merrick Garland, currently the chief justice for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court. Now the Senate must do its job by providing Judge Garland fair consideration, starting with a prompt hearing in the Judiciary Committee.

Failure by Senate leadership, including Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, to do their jobs is not just partisan obstructionism—it’s also a dereliction of constitutional duty.”